Dominica police issue warning after $37 million drug bust

The Dominica police have seized drugs worth more than EC$37 million, prompting acting Police Commissioner Davidson Valerie to send out a strong message to drug traffickers asserting that they will not escape justice.

“The police force will intensify its efforts at pursuing the traffickers to ensure that they are denied any opportunity to traffic illegal drugs in Dominica and ensure they are caught and brought to justice,” Valerie said.

The police said that they had seized 16,798 grams of cannabis and 696,360 grams of cocaine earlier this month in two operations in Castle Bruce along the east coast and Marigot, northeast of here.

“The Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force has been engaged in a series of operations that resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs and the arrest of four individuals who are now being questioned about the seizures,” the acting top cop said.

He said that on April 3, police seized 696.82 kilograms or 1,533 pounds of cocaine at Cabana in Marigot from a vessel named La-mere Fatal that was beached at Cabana Marigot after being pursued by the Dominica Coast Guard.

Valerie said that the occupants of the vessel fled, leaving the contents in the vessel behind. The cocaine was recovered, and the vessel was also seized. The drugs have an estimated street value of EC$18.6 million, and Valerie said the seizure signifies the determination, hard work, and commitment of the police to prevent drug traffickers from using Dominica to conduct their illegal trade.

Police have arrested and charged Anthony Roberts with trafficking 16,798 grams of cannabis and 696,360 grams of cocaine on April 12 in Castle Bruce. The police said that the estimated street value of the cocaine is EC$18.8 million and the marijuana EC$74,000.

Roberts appeared in court, and his attorney Wayne Norde said his client had a fixed place of abode, is a farmer by profession, and was willing to adhere to any conditions set by the court.

“He is not a threat to the community, and the alleged offense is insufficient to deny him bail…which should be granted with or without conditions,” he said, adding that while the offense was “serious,” he didn’t think it was “serious enough not to grant bail.”

But in his response, the prosecution told the court that although it was “not objecting to bail,” the court should, however, be mindful of the provisions of the Bail Act.

The court, however, ruled that it was “satisfied that Roberts had met the requirements for bail” and adjourned the matter to September 13, this year.